


Expectations

by coinseller



Series: “Park Jihoon is handsome” – Lai Guanlin (a collection of panwink short stories) [7]
Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance, but guanlins weird too, jihoons a weirdo, panwinks ages are upped theyre in college lol, this is a crack fic LMAO, this is an actual representation of the only pw dynamic ur allowed to talk to me abt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 09:26:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15946493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coinseller/pseuds/coinseller
Summary: That cliché trope where Guanlin and Jihoon are neighbors and they meet because Jihoon’s pet sneaks into Guanlin’s apartment.





	Expectations

**Author's Note:**

> this was originally a fic for nathan and pina <3 and it still is LOL  
> nathan posted it on twitter for me, but i decided to post it here too uwu

On his first day sleeping in his newly acquired (shitty), single-room apartment, Guanlin doesn’t expect to wake up with a banana python wrapped securely around his arm.

 

He also doesn’t expect the abnormally high-pitched scream that rips from his throat only seconds afterwards.

 

See, when Guanlin moved from Taipei to Korea to attend university with the basketball scholarship he worked his tail off to earn in high school, he expected things to work out just as wonderfully as they did in all his favorite slice of life, shoujo manga. Like, he’d make new friends, fit into a clique as a basketball jock, drink coffee every morning from that cool, rustic café down the street, and maybe—just maybe—he’ll meet the love of his life somewhere along the way.

 

It isn’t much to expect, rather, Guanlin thinks that he’s expecting the _bare minimum_.

 

But the universe has a weird way of working, or maybe… Guanlin just isn’t a very lucky person. Because every second that passes, the python squeezes at his arm _harder_ , and for a moment, Guanlin is pretty sure he blacks out. Before his skull can smash right into the metal headframe of his bed, a loud knocking sounds at his door.

 

“Hello?? Hey! I think my snake crawled into your apartment!” Comes a holler from the outside. “Can you open up?”

 

Guanlin isn’t one to cry easily or overreact, but right now, there are tears pouring from his eyes and he can’t seem to move from his current position.

 

“IT WON’T GET OFF OF ME,” Guanlin sobs, wiggling his arm a little which only makes the snake curl tighter and Guanlin cry harder. Snot begins to drip from his nostrils too.

 

There’s a pause from the other side of his door before the voice hesitantly asks, “Are you… crying?”

 

 _“NO.”_ Is Guanlin’s immediate response. But his voice cracks and he begins sniffling and whimpering audibly, and unfortunately, the walls are thin enough for the sound of his breakdown to be heard by whoever is standing within a 50-foot radius of his apartment.

 

He hears a loud huff.

 

“HOLD ON, I’M GOING TO PUNCH THE DOOR DOWN,” The other suddenly declares.

 

Guanlin shrieks with an upmost manliness. _“WAIT, WHAT??”_

 

Without another warning, the wood abruptly bursts into splinters in an explosive _BOOM!_ Dust and wooden chips fly everywhere, causing the poor Taiwanese student to heave out a fit of coughs through the tears and boogers still cascading down his face.

 

When the air clears, Guanlin expects that from the rubble of his decimated entranceway, a large, bulky man with rippling muscles and a gruff beard will emerge, ready to claim back his horrid snake. But at this point, Guanlin realizes that he should stop expecting anything normal to happen to him because instead of the Dwayne the Rock Johnson look-a-like he was expecting, a rather tiny, pink-haired boy appears at his door wearing booty shorts, knee-highs, and an atrocious polka-dotted sweater.

 

In a flash of bubblegum and cotton candy, the fairy-looking boy is suddenly in front of him, cooing and petting the snake latched onto his arm, “There you are, Snuggles! I was looking everywhere for you!”

 

 _“Snuggles?”_ Guanlin asks flatly with his nose still clogged and his face wet with tears. He gives the other a onceover and decides that he isn’t worth his time, just wanting to get this over with. But that thought doesn’t last for very long when the other suddenly turns to look at him.

 

In their close proximity, Guanlin finds himself winded for the next few seconds that follow because he’s absolutely fucked.

_Weird pink-haired snake-boy is cute._

 

It’s uncontrollable how Guanlin’s heart flutters in his chest while sparkles and bubbles cloud his vision, surrounding the attractive boy that literally barged into his life only... 37 seconds ago. Yeah. He’s pretty sure his brain short circuits too, and if it weren’t for the python still strangling his arm, he probably would have lost all common decency and made out with the boy right then and there.

 

Guanlin doesn’t notice that he’s still sorta crying with snot still leaking from his nostrils. And considering the current circumstances, he thinks he _also_ might be drooling now, which causes the boy to shoot him a worried glance that Guanlin doesn’t quite catch at all.

 

Instead, he dimly thinks that the other looks like a character from one of his favorite mangas and the realization makes Guanlin feel as though someone started pelting his lonely, aching heart with a pair of knuckle busters.

 

_Weird pink-haired snake-boy is going to be his boyfriend._

 

“Yes, her name is Snuggles,” The personification of Guanlin’s fantasies replies. He then points to Guanlin’s snake-clad bicep with a smile, “She likes giving hugs, see?”

 

Guanlin smiles too, sighing dreamily because manga-boy has really pretty eyelashes and a deep, rich voice like honey. “I can’t feel my arm,” He states in the midst of his trance.

 

“… Yikes.”

 

It takes a few moments for Guanlin to realize it, but he finds himself crawling through the hole in his door, following the boy of his dreams down the hallway and to his apartment where he can supposedly ‘get Snuggles off his arm.’

 

Only then does Guanlin suddenly realize three things starting with the most important; the pink-haired boy’s booty shorts have the words _‘Shake It’_ written in sparkly letters across the back with maracas printed on each butt cheek.

 

Guanlin stares more than he should. But the harder and longer he does, the more intimidated he feels. He’s 150% certain that despite his appearance, bubblegum boy can beat his ass with one flick of his finger which isn’t normally Guanlin’s ‘type.’ But, _hey!_ Maybe with a bit more time and a positive attitude, this is something Guanlin can learn to roll with.

 

His second realization is that he looks like a wreck which probably isn’t scoring him any potential boyfriend points.

 

Not only was he crying and slobbering only moments ago, but he for sure has a massive bed head. He is still wearing his pajamas too, which consist of a stained workout tank and grey basketball shorts with a hole somewhere in the back.

 

Momentarily, he prays that the hole isn’t too big or at least… his underwear isn’t embarrassing. But then again, things haven’t really been working in Guanlin’s favor so far today (well, except maybe meeting the incarnation of a manga love-interest was a plus.) But alas, he digresses.

 

Guanlin’s third and final realization is that he probably shouldn’t follow strangers into their apartments. _Especially_ strangers that own snakes, can break down doors with a single punch, and wear clothes resembling a racier version of a funfetti birthday cake.

 

But at this, Guanlin shrugs. He dismisses that worry with a simple _‘Whatever. He’s cute,’_ and continues to follow the other up the stairs to the next floor.

 

He finds out that the shorter’s apartment is right above his when they stop in front of a door numbered 308 and enter. Much to Guanlin’s growing horror, Mr. Strawberry Shortcake has another banana python just crawling around on the floor as if it were a pet dog.

 

“Hello, Monty!” He greets, petting the snake and walking around it.

 

Guanlin does the same except a bit more rushed and terrified. Also, he doesn’t pet it.

 

“Monty?” He repeats mostly to himself. As he is ushered to sit on a small couch, Guanlin thinks that the name sounds a lot more normal than _Snuggles._

 

“Like, you know, as in Monty… _Python_.”

 

“Ah,” Guanlin replies with a nod.

 

A pun. _Right_. What was he expecting.

 

Within the next 5 minutes that follow, the pair gets a few formalities out of the way and Guanlin learns that the pink-haired boy is a drama major (which explains the Monty Python joke), two years his senior, and that his name is Park Jihoon.

 

It takes Jihoon about half an hour to coax the snake off his arm, waving a small rat in its face and assuring Snuggles that “Mr. Rat here tastes _much_ better than Guanlin’s boney, noodle arms” which Guanlin responds to by discreetly flexing his free bicep whenever Jihoon looks over.

 

But unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to notice (and it’s not because Guanlin’s arm is _actually_ boney. Guanlin is very strong and muscular, mind you).

 

Snuggles finally lets go of his arm and joins Monty on the floor with her newly acquired rat breakfast. Jihoon lets out a sigh, collapsing back onto his couch.

 

“Sorry about that, Snuggles usually doesn’t grow _attached_ to people like that unless she’s known them for quite some time,” Jihoon laughs at his own pun and Guanlin offers him his best smile, but it wavers a little.

 

“How’d she even end up in my apartment?”

 

Jihoon hums. “Probably the fire escape. Though, she’s never done that to whoever used to live underneath me before.”

 

“Ah,” Guanlin nods, rubbing his left arm. It’s red and still a bit numb, but he’s sure he won’t need to have it, _like_ , amputated or something.

 

“You wanna eat breakfast? I have cereal and uh…” Jihoon pauses in thought, “Yeah, I just have cereal.”

 

“You sure? I don’t want to intrude or anything,” Guanlin lies to be polite. In all honesty, he really wants to spend more time with Jihoon, but he can’t seem too desperate, he tells himself, despite the fact that every time he locks eyes with Jihoon, he starts to salivate. Guanlin continues, “Plus… my door has a massive hole in it and I think I left my laptop on my nightstand.”

 

Jihoon waves dismissively, “Of course! It’s the least I could do for your troubles. And don’t worry about that, you’re safe. The only people who live in this complex are college students and elderly people, so I’d say you have about until 1PM until people start waking up and leaving their apartments.”

 

“Okay then,” Guanlin easily replies.

 

He finds that Jihoon wasn’t kidding when he said all he had was cereal. Only a few moments later, the short boy comes back with a paper plate full of loose Frosted Flakes and seats himself next to Guanlin on the couch again, apologizing that his previous roommate had left with all the bowls.

 

“You had a roommate?” Guanlin asks, shoveling a fistful of cereal into his mouth and chewing loudly on the dry flakes. It’s not very satisfying, but it works. He surveys the area briefly and finds that Jihoon’s apartment is indeed a bit larger than his, and instead of one bedroom, he has two. “What happened?”

 

“Nothing dramatic,” Jihoon shrugs, taking a bit of the cereal for himself. “He graduated and moved out about a week ago, but I need to find a roommate soon before the landlady starts asking for rent. I can’t afford this place on my own.”

 

Guanlin’s mind instantly goes to, _I’ll be your roommate and also your boyfriend._ But thankfully, he’s regained some sense of self control after the whole ‘snake thing’ and he keeps that little statement to himself, and instead replies, “Mmm, that sucks. I’ll try to keep an eye out for potential roommates though.”

 

Jihoon hums. “Hugely appreciated.”

 

They continue to eat cereal on Jihoon’s couch in their pajamas and turn on the television. But instead of watching, they talk about things revolving around school, the area, and Guanlin’s recent move to Korea. During this time however, Guanlin only kinda-sorta pays attention because Jihoon is _really fucking cute_ and his brain is still in shambles.

 

Guanlin is only a little embarrassed by how many shoujo manga scenes his mind conjures up involving him and Jihoon going on dates, kissing, and doing lovey dovey romantic stuff that makes his heart jerk and scream.

 

At one point, their hand reaches for cereal at the same time and Guanlin is pretty sure he starts ascending.

 

He _needs_ Jihoon to be his boyfriend.

 

“It’s almost 1PM,” Jihoon finally says after some time, “You should probably get back to your place before someone steals all your shit.”

 

“Right,” Guanlin replies and stands up.

 

“Maybe I can show you around sometime,” The other offers, funneling the crumbs from their Frosted Flakes into his mouth by folding the paper plate. “Or we can go get lunch or something.”

 

“I’d like that a lot,” Guanlin smiles.

 

As he heads to the door, he gives the snakes a worried glance before showing his way out.

 

But as he leaves, Jihoon snickers. “Nice underwear,” He points from where he’s still sitting on the couch. “You better get that hole patched up.”

 

Guanlin immediately goes to cover it up. But rather than being insanely embarrassed, he replies with a smile, “Are you looking at my butt, Park Jihoon? Breakfast was charming, but I’d really like to get to know you better first.”

 

“Only fair cuz you were looking at mine on the way here,” Jihoon smoothly retorts. “You’re not even discreet, but it’s kinda cute.”

 

Embarrassment hits him at full force and Guanlin politely excuses himself, scurrying down to the second floor. He’s all red and falling apart on the inside, and he’s sure he won’t be able to face Jihoon anytime soon.

 

But he’s excited to see him again, regardless.

**Author's Note:**

> LMAO SKDLFJOIWEJFKLDSFOIWESDLFKJWEjs WELL, YEAH.  
> IDK.... WHATEVER THAT WAS......  
> tell me what u think!! ;))
> 
> -coinseller  
> (twt @pocar1sweet / cc @coppercoin)


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